13 Oct Fall Checklist for your Landscape

Fall Checklist for your Landscape 

It’s that time of year again when the “honey-do” list becomes overwhelming and we don’t know where to begin as we rush to prepare for the cold winter months ahead.

For our team at Sun Valley, fall is the best time of the year!  We LOVE installing fire pits, colored mums, and fall containers to add to the aura of our clients landscape, who also begin to find they have more time to enjoy their outdoor spaces. Sun Valley owner, Paul always says, “Fall is the season where every tree becomes a flower.”

This is an important time for homeowners who need to begin preparing their landscapes for the upcoming months. Our team has created a fall checklist to put your mind at ease.

1. Winterize irrigation system

• Winterizing your irrigation system involves turning off the water, draining the backflow and blowing out your lines
• It’s important to hire a professional contractor to complete this fall task for you, we recommend Dan with Ground Control at 402-659-5169 or Quality Irrigation at 402-672-9297

2. Winter decor

• Many people enjoy adding winter interest to their landscapes during this time of year. We suggest fall or winter containers and adding fresh greens to your pots and outdoor railings!

3. Shut down water features 

• Drain water out of pumps, remove the pump and turn off valves for the winter

4. Landscape Pruning 

• Cut back spent perennials to 3″-4″ and remove debris
• Leave up perennials to add winter interest: grasses, sedum, hydrangea look great in the winter!
• Save coral bells, Russian sage, and astilbe for pruning in the spring as these are not as cold-tolerant
• Shear hedge rows and mature shrubs for shape and size if necessary
• Inspect all plants for signs of stress: watering, bugs, disease, fungus, etc.
• For more information on whether or not your perennials are dead or dormant, check out our blog post here!

5. Lawn winterization 

• Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer to store nutrients over the winter months and allow for an early spring “green-up”
• You can also apply a herbicide application to control weed mitigation (while fall temperatures are still warm!)
• Remove hoses from house/shut off spigots

6. Continue mowing your lawn

• It’s important to continue mowing your lawn as long as it continues to grow. Contrary to popular belief, it’s recommended to continue mowing at the same height all year!
• We also recommend mulching in leaves due to the added benefit for your turf when possible
• Pick up all debris at the end of the season

7. Fall Plantings

• Now is a great time to plant mums and pansies, in addition to spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and allium
• You can plant trees and shrubs until the ground freezes
• Perennials should not be installed after end of October
• You can also “re-mulch” or top-dress your beds as long as you don’t add excessive layers of mulch. We recommend top-dressing with a new layer of about 1″ inch in depth.
• Don’t forget to water all newly planted trees, shrubs and evergreens over the winter months!

8. Prepare for snow removal

• Put up snow flags or stakes to prevent damage from city or private contractors

9. Winter Storage

• Put this on your list once we draw closer to the first snow fall, but it’s important to begin thinking about winter storage; where is the outdoor furniture and grill going to be stored this winter?

10. Enjoy the fall season

• There’s so much to do and so little time, don’t get caught up in the to-do lists, but remember to enjoy the small, yet important things in life. Carve a pumpkin and play in the leaves this fall. But most importantly, don’t wait for spring to make plans for your landscape installs in 2017, call us now to skip the line and have your dream outdoor setting designed over the winter months!